The Three Marys at the Tomb

Jacques Bellange was active in Lorraine at the beginning of the seventeenth century. Although he was principally a painter, he is mostly remembered for his drawings and etchings. His highly personal style was inspired by Parmigianino, artists of the school of Fontainebleau, Hendrick Goltzius, and Bartholomeus Spranger. Elongated bodies in contorted poses, sensuous lines, and dramatic treatment of the light are characteristic of his style, which carries Mannerism to an extreme. His handling of religious subjects such as the traditional theme of the three Marys at the tomb expresses a very private and intense religious sensibility.